The Little Door
by Skulduggery Skellington
Summary: This is based off the SKulduggery Pleasant series and the movie version of Coraline. Valkyrie visits the Pink Palace. What will occur?
1. Chapter 1

"What do you mean they're letting me take leave?"

Skulduggery sighed, "I mean they're letting you have a break so you can have some quality time with your family, Valkyrie."

Valkyrie's parents had decided they wanted to take a family road trip for a vacation this summer. She was kinda hoping that the Sanctuary would object to this since she was an important aspect to the undead detective, but so it turns out they let her go anyway.

"But I don't want to go," she whined.

Skulduggery looked over at her for a moment. "There is nothing bad about spending time with your family."

"Well if you've ever met them, you would."

"And you know I would if I could. Now stop complaining and have fun with your family." The Bentley drove up, stopping at the curb to drop Valkyrie off a little less than a block away from Valkyrie's house. He turned off the engine and leaned his skull in her direction. "Valkyrie, you know if you ever need me, you can call me and I'll be there."

"Yeah, I know."

"So stop looking like you're never going to see me ever again."

"I can careless if I see you again," she joked.

"Yada, yada. Now get out of my car before your parents get worried."

She smiled before getting out of the car. "Good bye, Skulduggery."

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Valkyrie watched her parents as they packed the last of the suitcases into their small car. "Okay Steph," he father wiped seat off his forehead, "I think there's enough room in the back for you to sit in."

She peered into the back window. "Thanks Dad," she sighed.

"Hey, I tried."

Valkyrie heard her mother exit out the front door and she looked up. "Okay," her mother announced, "Everyone inside the car."

Valkyrie reluctantly placed herself inside the crowded car. "Where are we headed first again?"

Her father fumbled with the road map. "Where supposed to be going through England first."

"If we can get to England," he mother added.

"Perfect," Valkyrie sighed. As her mother pulled out of the driveway for the last for at least a few weeks, she watched the world through the window as if began to gain speed. Only discovering the world of magic just a few years ago seemed like she'd only lived in Ireland for a few days. She was going to miss it. She was going to miss magic and maybe Skulduggery.

Her eyes widened when she noticed the familiar Bentley at the end of the block. "Wow, that's an old vintage ride. Nicely kept," he father commented.

When the Bentley passed her window, she saw Skulduggery wave a small wave of good bye. She smiled. Fine, she'll admit it. She'll miss him.

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Valkyrie awoke to a violent speed bump. Rubbing her eyes, she looked out the window. They were driving on a dirt path in the middle of nowhere surrounded by thick trees. "Hey, where are we?"

"Your father has seemed to have made a slight miscalculation in our path."

"So where are we?"

"I don't know, honey."

She threw up her hands. She should have stayed in Ireland. She would have at least sent her reflection instead. Stupid Skulduggery had rejected the idea.

"Let's ask for directions," her mother suggested.

"Yeah," her father agreed, "Look there's a place."

Valkyrie looked over her fathers shoulder to see a big faded pink building through the little space in the trees. As the car drew nearer, Valkyrie could make out the sign at the front. "The Pink Palace?"

"What a weird name for a hotel," commented her dad.

Pulling up and stopping at the front, her mother and father stepped out of the car and entered the pink building. She'd hate to live there.

After about five minutes, he mother came back out and tapped on Valkyrie's window. She opened it.

"Stephanie, you can come out. We're not going anywhere any time soon."

"What's going on?"

"They didn't have a map but we're still in Ireland, well at the edge of it. This area isn't on the map."

"Then why do they have a hotel here?"

She shrugged and walked away.

"Great, now I'm forced to live _here_."

The begining to an epic tale, more to come!


	2. Chapter 2

Valkyrie dropped her stuff in her new empty room. It looked pitiful. There wasn't even a bed in here. "Hey, Steph," her father came in.

"Dad, do we really have to stay here?"

"Um, yes. I assure you we will get out of here as soon as soon as possible."

She grumbled as she heard her mother call her father to help her exterminate at bunch of roaches.

Valkyrie picked up her phone and pressed the first speed dial number on her phone.

It was answered after the second ring. "How's the trip going?"

"Horrible," Valkyrie confessed, "We're stranded in the middle of nowhere and we're housing in a pink hotel called the Pink Palace."

She heard Skulduggery laugh. "Well that certainly is ironic."

"How so?"

"I've been called to investigate the disappearance of a sorcerer and the main suspect happens to be lounging in the most expensive hotel in Ireland. I have to stay and make sure he doesn't walk out of his room without my knowing."

She made a face, "That's totally unfair."

"I'm sure that hotel isn't the most boring place on earth. Met the neighbors yet?"

"No."

"Then there you go something to do."

"I'd rather explore."

"You can do that to. Aren t I brilliant?"

"You should jump off and cliff and dive into a pool of boiling hot- "

"Sorry to interrupt your day dreaming but suspect number one just moved and he's headed to the buffet. Talk to later."

"Cya," she said as he hung up. Sighing, she walked out of her room and told her parents she was going to walk in a circle around the Pink Palace. Her mother warned her not to get lost.

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As she exited the Pink Palace, she saw a black cat perched on a window sill. It bent its head sideways at the sight of her. Ignoring it she walked down the creaky old wooden steps. It was official. It sucked having their front door in the back. She hated the mud. As she rounded the corner, she almost jumped out of skin at the sudden appearance of a girl in a yellow raincoat.

"What are doing here?" the girl asked pointing a stick at her head.

Valkyrie brushed the stick out of her face. "I have to right to be here."

"Well, Wybie's grandmother didn't hesitate in inviting more children around. So where are from?" The girl looked Valkyrie up and down.

"Ireland," Valkyrie crossed her arms, "Where else?"

"Well for your information I'm not from around here and even the owner's not Irish."

"Interesting. Who are you by the way?"

"Coraline. Coraline Jones." She tapped the stick on her gloved palms.

"Right. You can call me Val." She began to inch her way around Coraline. She was just far enough when suddenly something black jumped out at her. She screamed. Once Valkyrie recovered, she was aware of Coraline and another boy laughing at her. "Think that's funny do ya?" She rolled up her sleeves.

"Hey, hey, hey," the boy put up his hands in surrender, "Don't need to get mad about it."

"Where I come from it's rude to scare people." That didn't count herself.

"Sorry," he apologized, "But it's like a ritual around here. Ain't that right Jonsey?"

Coraline scowled at him.

"So what's the name?" he asked Valkyrie.

"Val."

"Just Val? Wow and I thought that Caroline had a boring name." Coraline smacked him in the back of the head. "Ha, I mean Coraline. I'm Wybie," he held out his hand to her.

"Wybie?" she took his hand.

"That's what I said," commented Coraline.

"Staying here for long?" Wybie asked.

"Till my Dad can figure out where to go next. Which could take awhile."

"Have you seen Coraline's garden?"

"Wybie," Coraline pushed him.

"No I haven't," replied Valkyrie.

"Oh you gotta see this then," Coraline beckoned Valkyrie to follow.

Wybie watched them go ahead. He looked up at the sky when he felt a cold breeze flow through his jacket. A storm was coming, they'd better hurry.

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Next chapter coming soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Valkyrie wasn't sure about the format of the garden but it definitely had some nice flowers in it. Lots in which she didn't know. "Wow this is impressive…" she commented after a few minutes of twirling around in the same spot.

"Isn't it?" Coraline smiled and tapped the stick to the tip of her shoe. "I was hoping to actually start growing something edible if Mom would hurry up and buy those seed packets."

Wybie joined them from behind. "I'm sure you'll get them Jonesy. If not I'll buy you some."

"Oh you don't need to do that," Coraline waved her hand in the air, "Mom said she'll buy some today."

Wybie glanced up at the sky. "Unfortunately I don't think you'll be able to plan them today. Your Mom doesn't like you out in the mud."

"Neither does mine," Valkyrie grumbled. She hated the clean up she would have to do if she dared bring mud into the house.

"Well!" Coraline exclaimed throwing her stick out and over her garden, "I guess we should getting back. Mom's actually cooking tonight so I got to make sure to remind Dad not to touch the stove."

Wybie waved her off, "See you tomorrow Coraline."

Valkyrie in return waved her goodbye to the other two and came to the conclusion that the two neighbors were weird but who in her world was not? She wondered briefly if Skulduggery was done with his current investigation as she walked back into the apartment. He probably was fist fighting some goon if she knew him best.

She sighed out deeply as she looked out the front room window and heard the hurried footsteps of one of her parents. She turned her heard and saw her mother washing her hands or actually rinsing since they had no soap.

When her Mum was done, she used her own shirt to dry them. "Hey Steph, me and your Father are going to go out and buy some things for the," she raised her hands up to indicate the bare landscape. "Yeah… so we'll be back soon okay. You can stay here by yourself can't you?"

"Oh course she can," her Dad said as he walked in trying to get the gunk off his hands when which she assumed was roach guts and shivered.

Valkyrie waved her parents goodbye since she was disgusted enough to keep her distance and when she heard the car leave, only then did she consider moving from her spot. She stood there for a few more minutes till she heard the rain hit the outside of the window.

She decided she'd investigate the rooms like Skulduggery to see if she could find anything interesting. Placing her hands in her pockets, she began to trace her way around.

At first it was quite boring. Nothing but peeling old paint and creaky old floors. Since there was no furniture in this part of the building, it was easy to scan. She reached the back room which she heard was supposed to contain boiler and thought it was worth a try.

She opened up the door and let her eyes float around. It was mostly made of brick and in the far right corner stood the boiler. She frowned as she felt her boredom hit a new record. This was definitely one of her most uninteresting family vacations. She was about to close the door when she spotted a door. A little door at that. It was placed on the left wall and looked big enough for her to crawl through. Having something at least catch her interest, she decided to go in search of some kind of key.

Valkyrie hurried back to the kitchen and began to pull at the drawers. There had to be one here somewhere. You just don't have a door and no key to it. She finally pulled out the right one and saw a single black key with a button on top. She looked at it curiously for a moment or two and then pulled it out to examine closer. It was an odd little key but since it was the only one around, she decided to give it a try.

Making her way back to the room, she inserted the key and found slightly surprised that it actually fit. She heard the thunder crack outside the house as she turned the key and opened up the little door. Her eyes widened as she saw a multicolored tunnel open up to her. She blinked and immediately closed it.

No way. Could the house be magic based? She out of all people knew she shouldn't go into things she didn't know of but she knew her curiosity always got the best of her. Though in such a circumstance, she decided she was going to check with Skulduggery first.

She pulled out her cell phone and pushed the first speed dial number again. This time, it told her that she couldn't be put through. Stupid rain and this stupid out in the middle of no where hotel.

Glancing back at the small door, she bit her lip and decided to risk it. Really what was the harm in an old house? She smacked herself for thinking that. It wouldn't be the first time she was in a cursed, magical house. She tried not to reflect back on the memory.

She opened the door once more and peeked inside. How could she even be sure the tunnel was even stable to hold her weight up. She swallowed and after going to pick up her black jacket in the other room, crawled inside. The door closed behind her as she pushed through the cobwebs and dust. She came up on another small door and cautiously opened it up.

Valkyrie blinked. What kind of trick was this? She crawled out and realized she was back where she was. What was the point of the door? She stared down at the door and kicked it closed. She then heard movement from the kitchen. Were her parents back already?

She closed the boiler room door and walked towards the noises. "Mum, Dad?" she said as she rounded the corner. Her Mum and Dad were turned away from her and they seemed to be cooking together.

"Oh hello sweetie," her Mother turned around and Valkyrie couldn't help but to gasp in shock. "It's about time you got here. We're almost done making dinner."

Valkyrie couldn't believe her eyes or at the least the lack of her Mothers. "You're not my Mum… What's with the… buttons? Where am I?" She began to glance around. Was it some kind of mirror world?

Her Mother and Father laughed. "No, we're your _other_ parents," her other Father said.

"Your better parents," her other Mother smiled, "And you didn't know? Buttons are in style, aren't they hun?"

"They sure are," he looked at Valkyrie, "I just had to get mine in blue."

Valkyrie wasn't sure if she should be weirded out or not.

"Valkyrie you better wash up, we're having company you know," her other Mother pointed out.

She blinked again. "Did you just call me Valkyrie?"

"Of course, isn't that your name?"

Yep, that was weird. "Um… I guess…" She turned on her heel to go over to the fully decorated bathroom. She washed her hands dutifully and walked back into the kitchen just as the door was opened and Skulduggery Pleasant walked in. No…. the other Skulduggery Pleasant…. Her eyes widened at his black buttoned sockets. Was that even possible? What was he doing here anyway?

"Oh welcome Skulduggery I'm almost perfecting the meal," said her other Father.

"That I will sadly not be digesting," said the other Skulduggery as he put his hat and jacket on the new coat rack.

Valkyrie just gaped at all of them. Her parents knowing about Skulduggery and her taken name?

The other Skulduggery looked at her and laughed lightly. "Gaping again? You should put something in that mouth of yours." He grabbed an olive off the other Mothers cutting board and placed it in her mouth.

Valkyrie immediately closed her mouth slightly embarrassed that she had actually been standing there like that.

The other Skulduggery pulled away and pulled a chair out for her.

Valkyrie glanced around for a moment before sitting down. She watched the other Skulduggery take a seat across from her and her other parents put the food out before them.

"Well dig in," said the other Skulduggery with what seemed to be like a smile.

Okay just ever so slightly creepy but she had to admit the food was good and it was nice not having anymore secrets around her parents.

"After dinner, I figured we could go and investigate a murder I was just assigned to. A certain Solomon Wreath was pronounced dead along with the rest of the necromancers. Mysterious no?"

Valkyrie had always thought the magical society would be a lot better if there were no necromancers in it. No one to use death against one another having them all dead was definitely a surprise to her, the ring actually felt kind of… dead around her finger. How ironic. "Um.. I guess sure." The other Skulduggery was kind of weird but he seemed to get to the point fast. The real Skulduggery liked to keep certain things hidden from her for some reason.

The other Skulduggery nodded his head as he watched her eat. After a few minutes he gained in conversation with her other parents about goblins and how annoying they were.

Valkyrie smiled as her parents laughed at the grand story on how Skulduggery lost his real skull. This world was so unreal and so wonderful… Her interest was captured.

Like? . Next Chapt coming soon


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